Hedge Funds Cut Bets as Prices Drop Most Since June: Commodities

BusinessWeek – Hedge funds cut bullish commodity bets for the first time this month as weaker manufacturing from China and Europe eclipsed central banks’ efforts to boost growth, driving down prices the most since June.

Money managers decreased their net-long positions across 18 U.S. futures and options by 1.7 percent to 1.307 million contracts in the week ended Sept. 18, halting two weeks of gains that had sent holdings to a 16-month high, U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission data show. The Standard & Poor’s GSCI Spot Index (SHCOMP) of 24 raw materials dropped 4.4 percent last week, the first retreat since the end of July.